Walmart Blocks Former Exec from Amazon

Bentonville, Ark.-based Walmart has filed with a court to block one of its former tax executives from joining Amazon.com Inc. (Seattle).

According to the retailer, Lisa Wadlin, its former Senior VP, Chief Tax Officer, would be violating a non-compete clause in her contract by joining the company’s rival retailer’s executive team, reports Reuters. Walmart said upon Wadlin’s resignation on May 15, she was sent separation papers detailing the terms of the separation agreement, but that she had never signed those documents.

The company fears that Wadlin would leverage her strategic knowledge of its practices to Amazon to directly damage the company. Company policy, said Spokesman Randy Hargrove, dictates that senior staffers agree not to accept work with competitors with a revenue exceeding $7 billion per year for at least two years after leaving Walmart.

Wadlin and Amazon have not responded to Reuter’s requests for comment.